The Gate of Falsehood and Reality

In a corner of the ballroom, Lynch sat on a sofa clutching a wine glass, standing guard beside Miss Valente like a devoted protector.

The melodic sounds of violins filled the hall as guests mingled in small groups, wine glasses in hand, engaged in hushed conversation.

This was one of the most common forms of socialization among the nobility of Lande. Whether it involved cold-blooded political maneuvering or tender, lingering romances, many things unfolded at banquets like this.

However, at this moment, no one approached Miss Valente or Mr. Levive to exchange pleasantries. No one attending was so oblivious to the atmosphere, especially since both had clear friction with the host, the Count of Lorand. The nobles all chose to observe from a distance.

This actually made things much easier for the pair. With no need to entertain irrelevant people, they sat alone in the corner and briefly exchanged details about what had just transpired.

As he recounted the events, Lynch's eyes flickered. The experiences of the past few days flashed through his mind, and the threads of the mystery gradually began to clear.

"I suspect that for some reason, Princess Chloe wanted the gemstone Flaming Red Lips to vanish from the public eye. She found the unfortunate Douglas to serve as a scapegoat, depositing the gem in his vault, then disguised herself as a con artist to steal it. I just happened to run into her at the right time."

"The Hall of Order recommended me for the investigation because of this, and since the Princess had a guilty conscience, she couldn't easily refuse. She accepted the suggestion quite cooperatively, but the more the police praise me, the less she wants me involved, fearing I might actually uncover something."

"So you were right after all. This invitation was filled with malice from the very start, a trap laid for me to walk into. They wanted to make me lose face and humiliate me, so they could use my supposed incompetence as an excuse to kick me out. Fortunately, thanks to your special training, I didn't step into the trap, and their scheme failed."

"Mr. Lynch, you underestimate the methods of the high nobility." Miss Valente pulled out her folding fan from somewhere, shielding her lips as she chuckled softly. "If your guess just now is correct, then regardless of whether you stepped into the trap or not, their scheme has already succeeded."

"Hm?"

"Heh, what you do is not important. The moment their actions were revealed, it meant they had already taken effect." Seeing Lynch looking a bit stunned, Miss Valente shook her head and asked in return, "Are you angry now? Will you still accept this commission to help them find the gem? What is their goal?"

Lynch opened his mouth, realizing he had nothing to say.

With such obvious malice, how could he not be angry? If not for his basic sense of decorum, Lynch would have already taken Miss Valente and stormed out. After all, the main purpose of the night had been achieved—a successful debut through this banquet. Why stay if not to celebrate?

But now, prompted by Miss Valente, Lynch realized that leaving was exactly what they wanted.

This young lady truly understood the tactics of the nobility. As she said, they might not have won, but they would certainly never lose.

Recalling the exasperated and incredibly awkward expressions of the two great nobles earlier, Lynch couldn't help but feel a chill. Those two were such convincing actors. Even though they were clearly delighted inside, they still maintained that gloomy facade. No wonder some say that nobles are born actors.

But Lynch didn't want to leave anymore. Fueled by the irritation of being played, he decided he wouldn't let those two get their way.

If you insist on provoking me, then don't blame me for making you uncomfortable. Since you went through so much trouble to make the gem disappear, I will help you find the hidden stone, leaving you unable to complain, all while you have to thank me and pay me for it.

Having made up his mind, Lynch was just telling Miss Valente his thoughts when he saw a waiter quietly approach them.

It was time.

Sure enough, led by the waiter, the two left the ballroom through a side door and went up to the second floor, entering a room. As soon as he stepped inside, Lynch noticed a layer of soft padding on the walls, giving the room significant soundproofing.

It wasn't just the Count of Lorand and Princess Chloe inside; the three officers from the Hall of Order were there as well. Upon seeing them enter, all five people in the room broke into smiles.

Only Princess Chloe's gaze held obvious shock, and her smile was somewhat forced. The Count of Lorand, however, remained in his state of heartfelt welcome.

"See? I told you. The detective and Miss Valente are people of class who wouldn't get angry over such a small matter. Hahaha, please don't take offense. This matter is of great importance, and we had to be cautious and test the detective's capabilities first."

"We understand your difficulties perfectly, and of course, we take no offense. Otherwise, why would we have come?"

Despite loathing each other, they sat face to face, speaking with laughter and cheer. It was a truly novel experience for Lynch. He mimicked the smile Miss Valente had taught him and said with reserve:

"It is my honor to serve Her Highness the Princess. Hehehe, everyone rest assured. We will certainly cooperate with the gentlemen of the Hall of Order and do our utmost to find the object, ensuring Her Highness is not disappointed. I trust Her Highness and the Count do not doubt my abilities?"

The young princess tightened her lips, glanced at Lynch with an arrogant gaze, lifted her chin, and gave a soft hmph.

"Heh, then please, both of you, explain the situation to us. The two inspectors only told us half the story yesterday, leaving me plagued by curiosity. What exactly is this important object, the lost Flaming Red Lips?"

"In itself, it is merely a gemstone." Princess Chloe kept a straight face, speaking in a stiff tone. "But it could be called a key, or perhaps a map."

As she spoke, she took several photographs from a box beneath the coffee table and spread them out.

It was a massive gemstone, shaped somewhat like a diamond, but entirely dark in color. It was hard to tell from the black and white photo, but with a little imagination, one could picture how dazzling the gem itself must be.

"Some say this gem was the favorite plaything of the Blazing Lady. This is, of course, merely unfounded speculation, as the Flaming Red Lips only appeared in the Third Age. But there is another legend: this gem hides a secret. Through it, one can find the location of an object and open the gate to that hiding place."

With the police present, this woman shouldn't be spouting nonsense. Lynch narrowed his eyes and listened intently, his focus sharpening involuntarily: "What is it?"

Princess Chloe glanced at him but still cooperated, saying, "The Gate of Falsehood and Reality."

Lynch was completely baffled. He looked at Miss Valente, who was frowning as if trying to recall something.

"It is nothing—just a mystery relic. That is what you call them, isn't it?"

Lynch also furrowed his brow. If a mystery relic required such a massive effort, it was likely not something benevolent. Could it be that he would have the chance to see a disaster grade mystery relic of the Third Age again?

"No, it is not disaster grade." The Princess's mouth twitched, and she whispered, "It is manifestation grade."

Lynch didn't react at first, but when Miss Valente held up five fingers, he realized that this Gate of Falsehood and Reality was actually a super dangerous item of the highest threat level. Just hearing the description made him subconsciously feel a chill in his body and his skin prickle with dread.